Indonesia's annual inflation rate cools in March

[JAKARTA] Indonesia's annual inflation rate eased to 3.61 per cent in March, the statistics bureau said, against expectations for it to stay steady near February's 3.83 per cent pace.

A Reuters poll had forecast an annual rate of 3.84 per cent for March.

Consumer prices fell 0.02 per cent on a monthly basis in March, with those of rice, chilli and eggs declining, as did transportation fares.

Core inflation, which excludes administered and volatile food prices, decelerated to 3.30 per cent in March. The poll had expected a rate of 3.51 per cent.

Indonesia's central bank, which cut its key rate six times in 2016, targets annual inflation to be between 3 and 5 per cent this year. Its next policy review is on April 19-20.

REUTERS